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White streaked the night as a blur. A steady beat of galloping echoed through the dim forest.
The darkness began to retreat lighting the pink trees around them. Animals began to stir in borrows and branches. Soon the townsfolk, maybe even the whole kingdom, would awake and learn of their missing prince.
He wasn't missing. Merely out of view. From everyone.
They ran and ran until the palace was small and quaint like a cottage.
Shoto thinks he would have been happy to live in a cottage.
Shoto had decided long ago he wasn't happy.
Someone like him didn't really deserve to be happy.
The gravel under his horse's hoofs shifted loudly, grinding against the small pebbles. His horse, Hakuro, huffed, softly blinking away the dust and dirt rising in the air.
Shoto's hands held the reins loosely, he trusted Hakuro. Perhaps not with his life but with not kicking him of the saddle.
What a silly thought.
Someone with a smile that rivaled the sun had told him he was funny. He wasn't too sure how he could have been back then and how he could be now.
His father, who, at this moment had no idea Shoto had even left, wasn't one for letting Shoto have a social life. He had isolated his son, his heir, in the hopes that would make him a better leader. Shoto didn't like his father.
'Todoroki-kun, I have to say! If I had legs I would run down to the beach pick up Kacchan and sic him on your father!'
Shoto smiled sadly. The rhythm of his horses trots melted into his soul. He sighed and looked around.
The trees were just about to enter full bloom. Petals flickered around him, lazily dancing in the wind. For a moment, he could see his mother sat in the garden by the pond watching the flowers twirl around her. He could still feel the fear that entered his soul when he focused on the windows reflection and not what was past it.
His breath caught in his throat, it felt like it hadn't been released in a long, long time. His chest taut, something choking his heart.
Shoto's hold on the reins tightened. Hakuro slowed.
Shoto decided that, however alluring the comfortable thrum of hoofs of ground was he didn't want to be left to his own devices for much longer. Devices code for thoughts.
The prince-could he even called himself that now? The rogue, possibly- sat on his white horse scanning his surroundings.
He was in the heart of the forest, but he had no real way of knowing. All he had done was run and run and run. Some would call him irresponsible even.
His father would. His father would lock him away and hurt him.
Perhaps with words and not injury, Shoto could put up a better fight now. Not that it mattered.
Hunger clawed lightly at his stomach. Shoto decided, quite quickly, to hunt.
Hoping of Hakuro, he led the horse to a lower hanging branch and tied the reins onto it. He held his hand on its flank and watched as the horses eyes sparkled at a moment for rest.
'Roki-kun! You need to be kinder to animals they could be your companions one day you know.'
He adjusted a bow onto his back and the holster of his sword. Carrying the quiver, full of the best arrows, he started to wander deeper into the wood.
He secured the pouch on his belt carefully.
>---~---<
He was holding his chest. He had cracked... something in there. A rib maybe. He hadn't really been thinking straight when he had ran from his father.
Shoto froze.
What was he thinking. Tears began to threaten him and he held back a sob.
He wandered longer, ribs aching after every breath, hair drenched in sweat, clothes dirty and ragged.
He heard crying.
Shoto glanced up wearily, eyes narrowed pinpointing any danger. He could hear the quiet tears along with a... trickle of running water?
He crept closer. The bushes and trees opened up into a small lake. There, the forest was more tame making room for the boy in the water.
The boy in the-?
Shoto saw as the boy's shoulders shook, he was shirtless, and he could see all the many scars that ran down his arm.
As many as he did...
He was also freckled, sunkissed his mother had said, they ran down his back, connecting into constellations.
Shoto liked stars.
The boy's hair draped around his neck stoping just above his shoulders. It was curly and thick and not to mention green.
A stunning green, light and yet strands of gold and blue scattered throughout it.
Still a little odd.
The logical part of Shoto supposed that it wasn't too strange but, mostly only family of high prestige or royalty -such as him- had unnatural coloured hair.
However, it was a well known myth that, apart from the very fact they could even exist, creatures of Land, Sky and Sea had strange hair. Some spread rumours that perhaps nobels were descended from them.
Endeavour always hated that theory.
In the ringlets of green pearls and beads were woven into it. The sunlight shimmered down onto them and refracted colours of beauty into the teal water.
The boy was...
Shoto felt something in him flutter slightly and took a step forward but-
SNAP!
The boy whipped his head around, pearls knocking lightly together, tear filled eyes wide with fear.
He felt his jaw drop open.
If Shoto had thought the boys hair was a nice green he was unprepared for those eyes.
The boys eyes were a vibrant green, undertones of teal and yellow woven in. They looked glassy, like a jewel. Much nicer than any precious stone he had ever seen, Shoto thought dumbly.
Peridot...
His eyelashes were light and gleamed in the sun.
The boys cheeks were filled with freckles. It covered the bridge of his nose before it slowly faded into blues and greens.
His skin had a golden hue and still his nose and ears were a warmer tone. It complemented him well.
Ears... they were, pointy. And drooping low.
The tears still fell and his eyes were still wide. Those gorgeous green eyes that were locked onto Shoto.
'I-' a yell from the woods interrupted him. The boy, Peridot -Shoto had decided to call him that- stiffened and his breath hitched again. Those eyes bore into Shoto's before he glanced behind him.
Shoto looked back and...
Peridot was gone. The water rippled slightly and the forest rushed back into life.
Arms grabbed him but he didn't resist
Shoto almost cried when he had to tear his eyes away from the lake.
>---~---<
Twigs and leaves crunched under the pressure of his shoes.
He took a deep breath and let the different sounds and smells of the wood surround him. The birds chirped quietly on overhanging branches. If he squinted he could just make out rabbits emerging and stumbling around.
Perfect.
He reached for the bow on his back. It's intricate patterns swirled together, it was a sturdy bow. At both ends it had been lovingly tied with coloured ribbons and small duller pearls. Shoto had tried keeping them clean and as pristine as the day he was given them but...
Shoto didn't have much knowledge on how to keep them clean.. He had forgotten to ask.
'I'm giving you my pearls because I want to, not because it's an offering. You being human royalty means nothing to me. You're just Roki-kun. So please take them, it would make me so happy!'
'For Kami's sake Todoroki-san! Take the dammed pearls!'
'Yes I agree! Perhaps not in those words but with the message!'
Pulling back the string with a gloved finger, he pulled the arrow and lined it up with his grey eye. His arrow squinted and fixed onto a fluffy grey rabbit.
The arrow flew through the air and pierced it's heart. It squeaked and fell sideways. It's black orbs stared. They would never close again.
Shoto knelt next to it and removed the weapon swiftly. He could feel the warmth slowly ebb away. He grimaced faintly.
He carefully picked up the body to not agitate the wound any more. Shoto wouldn't like his body to be dragged around if he were dead. But then again, he wouldn't really care if he was just a corpse. Maybe- if he was a ghost watching it happen he would be a little miffed but Shoto would probably just haunt Endeavour.
Or maybe try to find him.
Keeping the rabbit close to his chest, blood dripping sluggishly, he followed the thin trail he had left behind.
It was around midday now and the sun flickered down from the blossoms and twigs. The forest chuckled in the wind, the green starting to emerge out of the boring brown. The trees danced in the warm breeze while animals chirped all around him. Small pink petals still floated down and spun around like a complicated dance Shoto would never quite understand.
When he could just begin to see they gleaming white if his horse Shoto slowed and admired the view surrounding him.